Translating consists in
communicating a text message into another language, whilst ensuring that it is not misinterpreted. Translating and misinterpreting are two notions which are often linked, since there is nothing more difficult than expressing an idea, a concept or a message in another language.
During a conversation in our own mother tongue or when reading an article or a book, we may fail to understand the meaning, find it difficult to follow the argument of a journalist or misinterpret the
message conveyed by an author.
Since communication problems sometimes arise in your own language, it is not surprising that the situation is even more difficult when speaking to a foreigner or when reading documents written in another language. In addition to the normal communication problems, we are faced with the language barrier which often involves another
way of thinking, expressing oneself, another culture and therefore other references.
This is where the translator (or interpreter) plays a role, acting as interface between two worlds, each with its own history, mentality, way of thinking, ideology, peoples, customs, etc. The translator's mission is not simply to convey a message from one language to another, but also to ensure that it is meaningful to the person for whom it is intended. The translator acts as a
guide through a culture, opens the right doors to reveal the characteristics of another way of thinking and possibly provides explanations concerning features specific to a particular country.
The term of guide is in fact one of the first etymological meanings of translator (from the Latin traduitor = guide, 15th century).
Translating would therefore be
the art of transposing a message from one language to another whilst guiding the reader through the multitude of references in a culture, to make the message easier to understand and therefore avoid misinterpreting the meaning. It is obviously essential to have an excellent understanding of the source and target languages as well as of the respective countries and cultures.
Let those who dedicate their lives to creating
bridges between the peoples, building corridors of understanding between the mentalities and juggling with the words from one language to another, in other words by people who love translating, help you and guide you.
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